Yoga Rave: Partying with Yoga

Youth turn to yoga postures & meditation for fun

Over 1,200 people, performed yoga, meditated and swayed to the electronic beats of bhajans (devotional songs) on April 30, 2011. The success of Yoga Rave continues, as the party returned to the city of its origin, Buenos Aires.

The four-hour long, non-alcoholic and non-tobacco party began with yogic stretches and warm ups by Gustavo Yorgel, an Art of Living volunteer, and paved way for a guided meditation in the voice of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of The Art of Living.

“Yoga Rave is love overflowing! The first time I went to one, I wasn't emotionally well and as soon as I entered everything changed inside me,” expressed an ecstatic Silvana Bisio, a 31-year old from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She continued, “This is the best party I've ever been to in my life. ‘So What Project’ music is a direct connection to divinity. I’ve met the most beautiful people of the planet in these parties. Everybody should go to that (yoga) party, everybody should experience it.”

The musical duo, Nicolás Pucci and Rodrigo Bustus, of the ‘So What Project’ band, enthralled the crowd with a slew of bhajans, rendered with panache and ease. The fast-paced ‘Krishna Govinda’, had the audience dancing crazily while the mellow Durgabhajan had them swaying meditatively. The duo continuously encouraged the audience to give their 100 percent and enjoy the moment. Guest singer Bernadette Ben, accompanied them for a few bhajans which left the audience rapturous.

Finally the holy gathering concluded with a meditation which was guided by Sergio Jollivet and a video about the evolution of meditation.

The concept of Yoga Rave materialized when the Art of Living volunteers looked for an alternate way to generate recreational environment without having to use drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Initially, the mere idea of a healthy, balanced and yet fun-filled party seemed a utopia, but the exponentially increasing number of attendees bears testimony to the success of Yoga Rave parties amongst teenagers and adults alike.

“Everything began in Argentina four years ago with the belief that it was possible to have a different kind of fun. Initially, it took place in private homes but due to the overwhelming success and popularity, it became necessary to think of bigger venues. After filling a nightclub, we saw the need to get organized and professionalize the structure of the party. From that point onwards, the number of people attending the Yoga Rave has been increasing from a few hundreds to thousands,” smiles Sabrina, an Art of Living volunteer and one of the organizers of the party.“We are planning to organize Yoga Raves in different parts of Argentina – Cordoba, Rosario, Mar del Parta – and later, Paraguay and Uruguay.”

The funds raised from this event go for the social projects, like ‘Breathe Together’, a program that allows children from every public school in the country to learn stress-reducing breathing techniques and ‘Breathe Planet’, a tree planting campaign in Argentina, which have been initiated by the Art of Living Foundation.